Wave-power apparatus.



' No. 875,950. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

A. L. a; G. A. REYNOLDS.

WAVE POWERAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.18. 1907.

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ALVA L. REYNOLDs AND GEORGE A. REYNOLDs, OE' HUNTINGTON BEECH, CALIFORNIA.

WAVE-:POWER APPBATUS.

To all whom tt may concern:

L. REYNOLDS and GE RGE A. REYNOLDS, both citizens of the United States, residing at Huntington Beach, in the county of Orange and State of California, have invented a new and useful Wave-Power Apparatus, of which the foln lowing is a speci cation.

It is of the objects ofl this invention to provide practical, durable, economic and effective means for obtaining constant and regular power from the intermittent and irregular force of the ocean waves; to avoid danger of breakage and destruction from eX- cessive force of the waves; and to take advantage of' the ebb and ow of the waves and the lateralI movement of the Water in every direction.-

This Ainvention is designed to utilize the horizontal component o f the waves instead of the vertical or rise and Jfall, and for this pur ose a vane hinged or pivoted on a vertica axis is used` An object of the invention is to provide an automatic, vertically-adjustable vane which will rise and fall to conform tothe varia- .tions of tides to obtain maximum power l from a given size vane by keeping vthe submerged portion' of the vane at times-l in that portion of the water where the Wave motion is the greatest. l

The wave motion of a body of water is.

eatest at the surface of the body, and the Orizontal component of the motion of the water for a limited depth below the surface will be effective as a unit alternately in one and another direction, while below such Ilimited depth there' may be vcrossv or reversely-inoving currents which would retard the movement/of a body moving responsively to the upper unitaril moving portion of' the Water body; or t e Water elow such limited 4 depth may have such a limited horizontal component as'to act'as a drag on a body submerged in both the up er and the lower portion .of the'liquid. or this reason the vane which is to receive the force of the wave should be submerged only to a certain depth in order to receive and transmit` the greatest efective power for mechanical operations.

- 'The accompanying. drawings' 'illustrate the invention` Figure 1- is a pers ective jview of. snapparatus embodying t invention. Fig. 2is

Specification of Letters Patent. Applicata tied umh 19.1907. serial No. 363.102.

chambers A down into the atenten aan, 7', isos.

a plan detail of a singleunitbf the apparatus.

Fi 3 is av plan section of one ofthe venes.

he means upon which the waves act directly for imparting motion thereto, 'consist broadl in one or more vanos, as 1,` partly or w olly submerged in the water and each'connected to revolve on an upright axis which is located at or adjacent' toene edge of the vane so that each vane will respondto the impulse of the Wave actingthereon, each independently of the other.

l 2 desi nates an upright sl. .ft mounted'in Y suitable earings 3, 4, and operativelycon` 'l nectedwith la ump, as 5, `by any suitable means, as cra 6, pitman 7 and cross-head 8; the latter being connected with pistonrod 9 of the pump, which rod isheld A1n position by guide 10.

The parts hereinbefore enumerated t-o I' make up a single unit or 'wave motor and the entire apparatus will usually be installed with a series 'of such motors connected and operating as a single plant for .sup l power for mechanical operations asin ica dynamo' D and Water-Wheel: W; the latter being driven by Water delivered through nozzle N suppliied from the pumps 5 througlh a main M w ch has alatelaloonnection izin the pressure and su ply'at nozzle.

- T e pumps-5 may be o anysuit'a'ble cnstruction, and, may ybe '"ippliedf witheir through` pipes P that are controlled by check-valves C. Each of the pumps'may be' supplied through a suctionfpige 'Odyof water' provided with a foobvalveF."

and connected vwith the main M,

i with an elevated tank T for equal#l i 9; S extending suitably? The varies may be4 of any suitable"construe.la

tion and mounted in any desirable z manner; care being taken that they shall stand verti cal inthe water at one side of `the axis around which they revolve. lInv the apparatus eating shown,'each vane is in the formofa blade or panel vertically adustablein guides frame-work having Ways -36V inl which the fertical edges of thi` venes may move ipand own.

In orderto cause the vertically-adjustable varies. to automatically assume the position ins f ioo i 20 which may'hein'the orm off an open l sup ort the lower turnbuckle 'rods for supporting the lowei bearings 3, the same being connected by collars. S0 with'the piles 50 `near the bed of fthe `liody of water. 'By means of the turn y buckle construction in connection with the l collars, vit is made ossible to a propriately earings at t 1e requisite leve in the water, in a cheap and satisfactory manner without liabilitvof such bearings being undermined or brolren by the action of *,he'waves. f

The main weight of each vane, its frame and shaft, will be supported b' the Vupper ,tica

bearing that is sustained byt e pier; the' lower caring being intended,morey artcu larly torhold the lower end ofthe s ait ap propriatelyin place to keep' the( shaft in verposi'tion Y. 'jgf V l The collars or bands-whichsecure the turn- Abuckle rods may be slidable on the piles, and

in practice the lower bearing may be adl, justed to the appropriate level by lowering is firmly the collars with the turnbncltle iframe and lower bearing attached thereto, and then tightenin the turnbuckle until the bearing ed where desired ,the collars bein drawn tightly againstthe piles. f

he shaft Amay pass through andmove freely up and down in the-lower bearing, the

purpose of which is to serve as-,a stay rather than as a support for the shaft; but we do not limit the'invention to any` particular form of bearing for either the top or bottom of the shaft.

90 designates a ate at the nozzle which can be partly or w olly closed at any time without `loss of power,las the water not delivered through the nozzle will pass on to the storageLtank, and from thence to the nozzle l when needed.

In practice, any number ci units may be employed, and their partsmay be of anysize or oportions deemed advisable. The vanes will-preferablybe of 4such specific gravity that they will ordinarily be nearly, but not quite, submerged, and the length of said venes will such that they will extend' down'into the water only such distance as maybe determined by experiment to be the `lzes'tlgada ted to allow the wavesto act moet `1 ,'effective y upon the vanes to cause them tc 'revolve on their axes. As the waves ebb andlvilow, the several vanes will operate 1n-` dependently of each other in response to the entete vertical vanes movable It will be readily seen that these motors or vanos may be attached `to air compressors, `and the power utilized in such manner as is deemed advisable.

Any rotary motion imparted to a vane will be transmitted to the operating mechanism on the pier. I l v:

The n'ioveme'nt of the water in one direc- .tion will cause the vane to swing around in responsev thereto until such *motion `olf the water ceases or :until the vane has swung. into parallelism therewith. ln, the latter case the vane ceases to move until `a chan e ci direction occurs in the water acting t ereon th en t/he vane will. swing in another direction. By'reason of` this operationy the vanes may act effectively in `both high and low seas, the

force of the wave' always tending rst to o crate the' vane and then, if excessive, to t row the vane out of the way of the direct force of the wave, which force will then be. eil'ective only u' on the comparatively small surfaceof the s lait, vwhereby the liability of destruction by high seas is reduced to a miniIh mum.` y

Each vane is mounted to revolve inan unobstructed path throughoutan entire circle so as to ,act responsively toevery impulse of the wave in every direction, and to come to rest in a line with the moving current when ever the movement of said current continues after the 'vane Ais in such line. 1

What we claim isz i l A; wave motor coin rising a plurality of y wave impact and free to revolve in a complete circle, a support for said vanesand po wer-developing means connected with said vanes.

2. A wave motor comA rising a plurality o vertical vanes movable ywave impact and free to revolve in a complete circle, means for )ivotally securing said venes in the path or orce vof waves, and power-developing means connected with said pivot means.

3. A. wave motor ccmprisin a plurality of vertical shafts, vanes on said s laits arranged in the path of the ebb and ilow of waves, and i free to revolve in a com lete circle and means connected with said s. afts for developing power. y v

4. The combination with a suitable sup port, of a plurality oi shafts vertically dis" posed in said sup ort, vanos secured to s aid shafts, said vanos eing partly or wholly submerged in water in an unobstructed path and free to revolve completely and each 'adapted to res ond to wave impetus independently of eac other.

5. The combination with a suitablesup-` port, of a 'plurality of Lshafts journaled 1n said suppcrttvertieal vanes secnredtosaid shafts, said vanas being verticali adjustable f according to the rise andfall of t e water.lv f v. 6. The combination with a suitable support, ot a plurality cvvcrtical shafts'jour-l,

, aisee@ adapted to respond to wave impulsen, and to i by anni vane.

I'ee and fall with the rise and iall of the tifle.

7, The combination 'with a suitable support, of vertically disposed-shafts journaled in aan support, guides fixed to saiclsliafta j floating panels in said guides7 and means conl neeteii with said shaft for developingr power.

`8. A Wave motor comprising asuitalile support, a plurality of vertical shaft-s jonrolsaill eonnel'lirnm. 'sait'L shaft having ways, floating pancia in i naled in said Support, guide frames fixed to said. ways arrangedlo -resspond indepeml ently of each other' to wave impetus, pilnien connected with said shaft, pumps e r11n.('.l..e l Willi eacl itmen, and a Wat-cr vmainconneet-ed Wit said. pumps.

9. A. Wave motor comprising a vane pivoted on a vertical axis and adapt-ed to 1^eceive the impact of the waves, and` an ad# instable stay for the lower end of tile axila l0. A Wave motoi` comprising a veitimllyw movable vane, means for pivoting said vane on a .ertical axis to revolve unobstruetedly in tlie path of Waves, and power-producing means connected with said vane.

11. A wave motor consisting of a guide having a vertically-disposed floating. vane arranged in the path of wavea, and powerdeveloping means connected with said vane.

l2'. A verticallylisposefl shaft, a guifle on. said shaft having Ways, a floating vane in 'said ways, and means for pivoting the shaft' to heini said-vane in the path of waves.

13. A wave motor consisting of a guide having a. floating vane7 means for disposing said vane in the path. of' waves, and

(po-werdeveloping means connected Wlth sai vane..

14. he combination with a suitable suplport of a vertically disposed and vertically movable vane carried by sail] support. and sewn-ul on. a vertical axis 1n the path of anrl power receiving means operable i5. A wave motor comprising a vane sevuiell on a Vert-'ical axis and located in the patli ol' waves, a suppoijt for Sani Vane eempiieinn` a shaft, upper and lower bearings for Saul shalt, a Support for the nppeil bearing,

ladjustable connections to support the lower l'ieaiing, and means for increasing the tension lf3. The rolnliination Wit-li a Support coni gisting; of piles and a nuilcrstrueture on said pilon, a slialt n. guide on said shaft., a Vertii eaiij; mo able Heating; vane 1n said guide,

upper and lower ln-iaril'igs for said shall., (nonnections between ysaid loner bearings and piles7 and means for tiel-)telling saiil eonneelione.

l?, A vertieall); disposed vane, a shaft, a nearing for the lowcrend o saifl shaft, and means 'loi' pern'iittingl of the raining and lowering; of sani bearing'.

i8. The con'ibination with a plurality of wave motor units comprising: pumps7 of a main to receive Waterjfrom such. pumps., a water. wheel, a nozzle to deliver water from the main to Huch-wheel, a pressure reservoir,

eonneetion between the main and the reservoir am] .a gate between the connection and the nozzle.

in testimony' whereof, We have hereunto Het our hands at Los Angeles California this 9th (lay ol' lvlareli 190'?.`

ALVA L. lill) YNOL'DS. G-BKRGE A. REYNOLDS. .in p'resem-,e of- .lA-Mns lt. "lowNsENn, M. Raman 'loWNSaNIL 

